Teacher allocations are approved annually in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. My Department has published the staffing arrangements at post primary level for the coming school year, 2012/13. The relevant Post Primary circular is 0009/2012 which is available on my Department's website. The staffing arrangements in schools for the 2012/2013 school year can also be affected by changes in their enrolment, the impact of budget measures and the reforms to the teacher allocation process.
The reform of the teacher allocation process being introduced for the 2012/13 school year were designed to give a more equitable distribution of existing posts between schools. The enhanced resources for schools that operated the LCA programme were redistributed so that support could also be given to new schools joining the programme. Previously schools joining the programme were allocated no additional teacher support. The new arrangements are to operate on the basis of the standard allocation under the staffing schedule (18.25:1 in DEIS post-primary schools, 21:1 in fee-charging schools and 19:1 in all other post-primary schools)and an additional fixed allocation of 0.5 of a post to each school that operates the programme. This additional allocation of 0.5 of a post will be available to all new schools joining the programme. The teacher allocation process at post-primary level is largely completed at this stage and all schools would have been notified accordingly.
At post primary level, schools will have autonomy on how best to prioritise its available resources to meet its requirements in relation to guidance and the provision of an appropriate range of subjects to its students. Decisions on how this is done will be taken at school level and I am confident that schools will act in the best interest of students when determining precisely how to use the teaching resources available to them.
